Life with You
by Justifye
Summary: Derek and Casey are polar opposites and they were fine with that. But with new adventures in college why do they keep finding themselves attracted to each other? with alcohol in the mix its sure to be interesting.
1. Long time No see

_**Life With You **_

Casey McDonald quickly typed the last of her professors words while the rest of the college class poured out the door. She anxiously flipped her dark chestnut brown hair over her shoulder. Even in her first semester as a college student she was still the self proclaimed "Grade Grubber". She looked down at her buzzing cell phone in her jacket and smiled when it read 'Chris', her boyfriend. She was just about to text him back when she noticed a familiar bomber jacket with its back turned toward her, while he talked to the professor flashing his infamous smirk. No, No, No, it can't be.

"Derek", a tall blonde stated snootily her blue eyes falling toward the famous Derek Venturi, erasing all Casey's doubt. Then she looked at Casey up and down when Derek turned and recognized her.

"Casey is that you?" he asked squinting her chocolate brown eyes at her playfully. He laughed lightly when she stood to leave. She was in a burgundy Hollister cardigan, white tank top, and light wash jeans paired with ballerina flats. Nothing fancy, as her mother would say. Derek blinked to keep from staring, in his eyes she'd never looked better. Her long honey brown hair was long and shiny as it pooled down her back in loose waves, her icy blue eyes had a pleasant glow to them. And, from what he could tell she still used that vanilla perfume he loved so much.

Without warning Derek leaned forward and gave Casey a tight squeeze, from a distance they looked like a couple. She tensed at first but eventually eased into the hug affectionately.

"2 years", Casey stated in disbelief once they had broken the hug awkwardly when the blonde cleared her throat.

"I had no idea you went here", Derek stepped back teasing her with his cocky playboy smirk. " I definitely would've noticed you. My, My, McDonald you sure filled out", he completed with a sly whistle. He was trying to see if he could still get under her skin, from the look of her face the answer was yes.

"De-rek!", Casey groaned slapping his shoulder as hard as she could. The moment had been officially ruined . She cursed herself for thinking someone as barbaric and absent minded as Derek could actually be civilized for once. She was so thankful she didn't have to spend more than a year with him and his family. Still, Derek always knew how to press every button she had and embarrass her in everyway possible.

"Sorry", he apologized half-heartedly laughing as he rubbed his shoulder. Separated for 2 years and the still picked up where they left off—arguing.

"How'd you make it to U of M? cheated on the ACTs, or sleep with the dean? Casey arched her eyebrow and scowled at him, but at the same time couldn't help but notice how good looking he was. Derek had always looked great everybody knew that, but he wasn't slender anymore. His shoulders became broader, his biceps were sculpted more, and his jaw-line was sharper. He wore his hair a little shorter, and if possible he'd become more arrogant.

"Hockey", Derek smirked crossing his arms towering over her. " Surprised?"

Casey and Derek glared at each other playfully.

"Well-

"Mhmm", the blonde from before stepped in between the two clearing her throat again.

"Oh", Derek turned snapping out of his trance. " Casey this is, this is, is,", he furrowed his eyebrows trying to remember the girls name he was dating.

"Amanda", she introduced herself tightly wrapping her arms around Derek's waist territorially. " And you are?"

"Casey", Casey stated uncomfortably slinger her messenger bag over her shoulder.

"Casey huh?" Amanda asked skeptically looking Casey up and down as if they had suddenly became sworn enemies.

"Yeah", Derek nodded. " She's my, she's my", he fumbled confusedly. They weren't exactly step siblings anymore, or friends.

"Your ex- girlfriend?" Amanda eyed Casey knowingly.

"No", Casey quickly objected. " Not at all".

"Then". Amanda dropped from Derek's waist and wrapped them across her chest. " Who is _she_?"

"Our parents were married once upon a time ago".

"Nothing more", Derek added watching Casey for a reaction.

She gave none shrugging past the couple casually. Casey sighed in relief when she was out in the cool, fall air and away from Derek. Honestly, she hadn't thought about him since their parents split the middle of her sophomore year. Her, Nora, and Lizzie moved back into their condo and Casey went back to private school. She'd seen Derek once or twice at parties Emily dragged her to, but he was glued to some girl or too drunk to remember. One night, he was so drunk he stumbled into her trying to flirt. Flirting! She could still remember it.

Casey was just about halfway across the lawn when Derek called her name. Something kept telling him to follow after her.

"Casey!", he yelled in the distance.

She turned, shook her head and kept walking until he jogged up to meet her halfway.

"What's the rush?" he joked.

"I have somewhere to be".

"Where?" Derek laughed flicking her long hair playfully. "The library?

"No", Casey retorted clearly flipping her hair. "I'm meeting my boyfriend", she concluded across her shoulder before walking away from Derek. She didn't like treating him that way but she realized with Derek the only way she could protect herself was to keep him at a distance.

"Derek?" Casey asked spinning to face him. " See you around".

" Bet on It", he remarked coolly before draping his arm around Amanda's shoulder.


	2. Under my Skin

_**Life with You **_

Casey stepped out of her early morning shower thinking of only 3 words. Every since she bumped into Derek a couple days ago she felt slightly off. _Bet on it?_ She racked her brain running her fingers through her honey brown hair with a heavy sigh. _What the hell does that mean?_ She wandered while toweling off. She hadn't seen him in a few days but his picture was still burned in her head. And suddenly she wandered how Edwin and George were doing.

"Daydreaming?" her eccentric roommate asked entering their dorm her purple and pink high lighted hair fluttering behind her.

"Hey Nat", Casey smiled now fully clothed in the middle of her room as she slipped on her Nike running shoes, she planned on working out with him like they did every Wednesday.

"Hey Barbie", Nat joked plopping her overnight bag on her messy bed across the room. Most people found Natalie strange but Casey found her interesting. It might not have looked like it, but she was actually a good roommate. She rarely spent time in the room and came and went as she pleased offering heartfelt advice here and there. When Casey had first moved in with Lizzie and Nora tagging behind her she was terrified at her lip ring and dark eyeliner. For the first few days she awkwardly avoided her until one night she was crying her eyes out and Nat actually woke up out of her sleep to comfort her. From that day on, they'd been good friends. They had their separate lives, just how they liked it.

"Don't tell me", Nat responded dryly plopping stomach first on Casey bed kicking her black chucks up. "You're working out with that air head jock?" she rolled her gray eyes toward the ceiling and pretended to gag.

"Yes", Casey smile proudly. "Why yes I am". She didn't take offense of her star athlete boyfriend, Nat considered every guy that played sports an airhead.

"I hate that guy", she proclaimed snatching out her loose ponytail walking toward her side of the room.

"Well I love him", Casey shrugged still grinning at her reflection in the mirror. Her long hair was pulled into a high ponytail that swung every time she walked, she sported a oversized gray U of M hoodie and fitted gray sweat jogging shorts.

"Have fun with steroids", Natalie teased with a smile wiggling her fingers when Casey pointed her Evian water bottle at her.

"Behave Natalie", she joked.

"Don't I always", Derek smirked in the early morning sun bare chest where he sat up in his bed with his navy sheets crumpled at his hard abs, as he smiled reassuring the auburn haired beauty leaving his bed.

"No", the girl objected tightly wrapping her arms around her body. She was in nothing but a white tank top and silky underwear. Derek groaned on the inside looking at his clock, it was always easy getting girls into his bed. The problem was getting them out. It was already 10:30 in the morning, and he had to be at the gym at 11.

"Sweetie", he smiled groggily stroking her hair as if she was the only girl in the world for him. "Of course I'll call", Derek winked smoothly before giving her a slow peck on the lips. From the look on her face when she pulled away she believed him. _Call? _Derek thought, _I don't even remember your name._

"Okay", she smiled brightly hopping off the bed and pulled her jeans on satisfied. If it was up to her she'd lay in bed all day with the IT boy on campus, everybody wanted a piece of him. Derek threw the covers off himself and stood in his Tommy Hilfiger boxers to stretch walking toward his dresser to pull out some basketball shorts. Just as he lifted one door open a pair of pink underwear flew out onto his carpeted floors. He winced watching the underwear fall in slow motion, he knew from experience girls underwear drove girls insane.

The feisty auburn head girl dove for the underwear and dangled in front of Derek's face. "WHOSE are _these?"_ she demanded to know. Derek froze turning, and smiled lazily.

"What?" he played it off casual and nonchalant. "Those are yours".

"Mine?" she inquired flipping her hair angrily. Derek's eyes searched for the right answer to get the girl of his room without making a scene.

"Hey babe", Chris Everett greeted holding his dorm room door once he spotted Casey waiting for him.

" I missed you", she smiled once he kissed her on the cheek. He was everything she always wanted, tall, good looking, smart, well-known family, he was surely on his way to become a future politician. Chris pulled her inside wrapping his muscular arms around her body as the cotton of his hoodie stroked her face. He pressed his soft lips to hers and was about to lengthen the kiss when someone barged inside. It was Rick, his obnoxious best friend from across the hall. He was in a white tank top and boxers. Casey turned her head, she'd already seen enough of Rick whenever he streaked at the frat parties.

"Dude", he exclaimed ruining the moment when he walked deeper inside to low five Chris and pat Casey's head. She did her best not to just slap him out of a whim. "D's out there with another chick".

"What?" Chris jumped from the bed excitedly following Rick with Casey trailing behind holding his hand clueless.

"Whose D?" she asked pushing through the now crowded hallway where everyone watched the apparent couples spat.

Rick turned and laughed as if she was a stupid girl. " Only the biggest player on campus besides me", he claimed and popped an invisible collar.

"He's not going to get out of this one", a red head with glasses confirmed standing outside his dorm laughing and turned to Chris and Rick.

"I bet 20 he won't", he stated pulling out a crisp bill.

"30", Rick stated reaching for his wallet.

"40", Chris added.

Casey was disgusted, who was this _D _guy anyway? She thought and the angrier she became. Stupid egotistical guys like 'D' and Derek was why most girls spent their nights crying.

"C'mon", Rick yelled over the noise shrugging to get a better view. Casey beat him to the punch her slender frame sliding through various people. There, the infamous 'D' stood halfway in the hall talking to a tall auburn haired girl.

Casey arched her eyebrow and shook her head feeling her stomach drop. Of course 'D' was Derek, it all made sense.

"Really?" the girl asked wide eyed standing inches away from Derek's face, apparently she didn't mind the crowd.

"Call you later", Derek winked flicking her chin affectionately and pointed to his cheek to show the guys on the floor how it was done. She leaned forward and pecked his cheek before slowly sauntering away switching in sky-high heels. A few guys hooted and other groaned pulling out money while the rest went back inside their rooms.

"You THE man!", Rick eagerly fist pounded Derek where he slouched against his door frame.

Derek smirked. "Tell me something I don't know", he joked ruffling his shaggy brown hair. Chris dragged a reluctant Casey to meet the infamous Derek.

"C-man", Derek low fived his floor mate with a grin until he saw whose hand he was holding.

"Hey, this is my girlfriend", Chris stated casually as Casey looked away.

"Casey", Derek said with less enthusiasm then before like he'd lost his breath all of a sudden.

"You know each other?" Chris asked skeptically looking left to right at both of them.

"Yo!", a loud mouth from the Kappa fraternity screamed excitedly. "Early morning kegger, be there or be square!" he screamed like a barbarian waking everyone up.

"Hell yea", Derek beamed at his future fraternity.

"Can this day get any better", Rick exclaimed throwing his fist in the air and high fived Chris.

"I'm down".

"What?" Casey asked alarmed. "We had plans for the gym-

"I know but babe, I'm pledging that frat and it's really important I be at every event".

Derek crossed his arms interestedly and watched for Casey's reaction. He smiled on the inside when her nose crinkled adorably like it always did when she was mad. He noticed that about her the first time they met. Most people didn't notice.

"Fine", she sighed and forced a smile. "But you owe me".

One of the best things Chris loved about Casey was how understanding and laid back she could be.

"You're the best", Chris quickly pecked her lips and sprinted down the hallway to catch up with the Kappa president.

"Well isn't this –

"Shut up", Casey pointed her finger angrily. The last thing she wanted to see was Derek, it appeared that nothing had changed about him whatsoever.

"What'd I do?" he joked casually admiring the way her ponytailed swished against her neck every time she moved.

"Do you think its okay to treat females like that? You're so barbaric and sexist. Women are human beings, not objects", she retorted.

"Same old naive Casey", Derek began. "Your little boy toy Chris wasn't exactly an angel when it came to the ladies either. The ladies don't complain so neither should you", he remarked simply with a wink.

Casey narrowed her eyes and looked ready to slap the smug look of his handsome but instead she just used her words.

"We're not having this conversation. This campus is big enough for us not to bump into each other. You have your side, I have mine . Hopefully I won't ever have to see your face again", she retorted angrily walking away once she realized they were inches apart.

It was just something that seriously irked her about Derek. She quickly turned around to make sure he was gone but instead he stood there smirking.

_The nerve!_ Casey thought in disbelief hurrying out the hallway to get as far away from Derek as possible and hurry to the gym to relieve some stress.

_Wander if she knows we're going to the same place?_ Derek grinned at the thought before closing her bedroom door closed.

_**What did you think?? Please comment and review!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love yu **_


	3. Don't mention it

_**Life with You**_

Casey Macdonald had been on edge since the moment she woke. She decided to thrust her aggression into working her butt off, literally. She'd been in the gym for at least 40 minutes and was already done with most of her cardio, squats, and leg lifts. She sighed tightening the elastic across her slightly ponytail stretching her slender arms above her head before making her way toward the treadmill.

Casey pulled her U of M sweatshirt over head stripping down to her fitted tank top, that matched her mini Nike workout shorts.

Her longs legs guided her across the room as she adjusted the pace she wanted and began a slow stride quickly speeding up with every step. One, two, three, four, she repeated in her head over and over again.

It took her a moment to realize, but her whole body was burning from the intensive work out. She was working twice as hard as anyone else in the gym, she knew she should've stopped but it was only thing keeping her sane at the moment.

Derek lifted his arms with a loud elongated yawn after guzzling one of the many Gatorades in his gym bag. He'd stretched for a good 30 minutes before he decided he wanted to hit the gym. As usual he made a detour around the gym and made it to his destination- the treadmill.

Once he reached his usual spot, he crinkled his eyebrows confused at the female taking his space. He looked across the gym at a few of his friends to see who they'd let use his treadmill but they all shrugged.

He ignored shrugging off the set back rolling his shoulders before he started his steady pace on the treadmill. Naturally, his brown eyes fell over to the somewhat petite girl with the rocking body. Derek watched impressed with the girls legs, and toned thighs and realized they looked a little familiar. He squinted his eyes again to distinguish the face underneath the baseball cap and smirked shaking his head.

"This is rich", he remarked shaking his head pleased and waited for her to acknowledge him. When she didn't he cleared his throat loudly, and after a few more she finally took notice turning around. Her whole facial expression hardened as she snatched out the earplugs of her IPod.

"What the?" Casey asked in narrowing her eyes at Derek while wiping sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand.

"Now I'm beginning to think you're stalking me", he teased with a lazy grin watching as her nose crinkled adorably the way It always did when she was getting ready to yell at him.

"Did you _not_ understand anything I said earlier".

"Don't flatter yourself princess", he added dryly. " I hit the gym 7 days a week", he lifted his shirt up for emphasis flashing his rock hard abs _proudly. _ Casey couldn't help but keep her eyes glued to his stomach, she didn't remember his stomach being so chiseled and defined.

Casey shook her head to focus when Derek pulled his shirt back down. "Whatever, you just stay over there and act as if we're perfect strangers".

"Then", Derek giggled sexily. "I'd definitely have to flirt with you", he winked.

Casey's heart skipped a beat when she looked across her side at him speechless, she was confused. _Was her ex step brother flirting with her?_

"Relax Casey", he added noticing her tense up and winked again. "You wouldn't be able to handle all this anyway".

"Oh whatever", she rolled her eyes picking up the pace on her treadmill trying her best to ignore Derek.

When that didn't work Casey decided she'd have to listen to him speak, keeping her words to a minimum. Because Derek was Derek, and she knew he wouldn't quit until he had what he wanted. She decided to keep her words at a minimum of 'yeah' 'mhmm'.

"So, how's Lizzie?" he asked nonchalantly jogging with no hands on the treadmill.

Casey turned genuinely surprised, and smiled the way he knew she would whenever she spoke about her younger sister. She was shocked Derek still remembered her name.

"Great actually. She's on the National Honor Society, and she just won a trophy at her soccer championship a month ago", she smiled like a proud parent.

"An Ed?"

"What can I say?" Derek shrugged confidently. "He's my prodigy. With any luck he'll be just like be just like big bro".

She smiled. One thing she did like about him was his relationship with his younger brother, at times it was like he was the only person Derek actually cared about.

"Dad's still crazy".

"So is my mom – ah", Casey winced in deep pain as the back of her right leg gave in on her.

Derek turned concerned still keeping a steady pace. "Maybe you should take it slow", he warned her. " I pulled a muscle like that last time".

"I'm fine", Casey told him sternly forcing her leg to cooperate.

A blond walked pass switching her hips flirting with her eyes at Derek basically begging for him to come follow with her switching her hips until she was across the room.

Derek whistled shaking his head. " What a nice piece of ass", he remarked cockily hopping off the treadmill temporarily to go catch up with the blond.

Casey rolled her eyes at Derek, he was disgusting to her. He was the equivalent to a male slut. Just when she thought they were getting somewhere he zeroed himself down to a pig as always. She thought about just walking away but when she came up with the nerve Derek was already back and it felt like her legs wouldn't move.

"You're a whore you know that", Casey stated rolling her eyes sweat beading all across her body causing her navy tank top to cling to her body.

"Thank you Case", he smiled brightly as if she'd just given him the best compliment in the world. When she didn't respond he rolled his brown eyes.

"Oh grow up Casey and stop being such a prude", he told her dryly. " This is college".

"And?" she inquired arching her eye brow waiting.

"People have sex".

"Well", Casey answered slightly flustered. " Not me".

Derek smiled, he was glad Casey wasn't like all the other girls on campus. She actually respected herself, she'd probably have Chris wait a year before they had sex if they already hadn't.

He over looked her hips seductively, and decided _those_ definitely weren't virgin hips.

"So Chris hasn't tapped that yet?" he joked light-heartedly.

Casey looked up at him as if he had just called her a dirty whore. " Go to hell, please—", her words were cut off when her legs moved back and twisted as she stumbled across the gym floor.

Derek stopped his machine alarmed and raced to help Casey before she tore a ligament or something, he couldn't decide because he didn't pay too much attention in his pre-med class.

Casey laid still on her back staring at the ceiling of the gym as everyone crowded around her. She didn't know what happened, she just knew she was in a _lot _of pain and it wouldn't stop.

"Dude, are you okay?" someone from the crowd asked.

"Fine", Casey groaned attempting to lift herself up but Derek picked her up from her waist holding her upright as she put weight on her right ankle and winced in fierce pain.

"Don't touch me", she swatted Derek away. " I don't need your help", Casey stated attempting to walk but ended up stumbling in terrible pain until Derek gripped her waist from behind steadying her weight up.

"Ow", she winced sniffing pressing her neck into Derek's chest when the gym manager rushed away to get an ice pack.

"Tell me where it hurts", he told her soothingly.

Derek gently eased Casey until a chair as she cried feeling a million and one types of pain shooting from her ankle like fire. He leaned downward taking off her shoe and rolling off her sock to examine the bone she had flexed. When his cool fingers touched her ankle Casey coiled back and started whimpering again.

"She definitely sprained a fragment in her ankle, and probably pulled a muscle too", Derek told the manager when he rushed back with an ice pack. Casey groaned crying out in pain as warm tears ran down her hot cheeks.

"It hurts", she moaned tearfully.

"Are you her boy-friend?"

Derek swatted his hand nonchalantly. "Yeah, whatever".

"Take her to the infirmary as quick as possible", he told Derek.

He nodded dropping to his knees so Casey could drape her arms across his neck easier as he swooped her slender body into his strong arms bridal-style as her legs dangled beneath her as she cried into his chest whimpering like a little girl. All Derek wanted to do was take her pain away.

They waited in the infirmary for what felt like hours until the nurse finally saw her. After examination, Casey had fractured a fourth of her ankle and pulled a muscle in her left leg. She was warned to take a few pain killers and take physical activities a little slower.

"Okay", Casey nodded slightly drowsy.

"We gave you a little morphine for the pain. But your boyfriend signed your release forms", the nurse smiled understandingly.

"My boyfriend?" Casey smiled looking down at her heavily bound ankle. It was just like to Chris to be sweet and there for her just when she needed him.

When Casey limped back into the waiting area she frowned seeing Derek.

"Disappointed?" he joked.

"Where's Chris? I called him", Casey argued shaking her head.

"We couldn't reach him, remember".

"Oh", Casey sounded hurt and nodded somberly. " I can't exactly walk home with this ankle, he was supposed to pick me up".

Derek waved his hand dismissively. "I'll drive you".

"No", Casey shook out her long chestnut hair. "I've already taken you out of your way".

"Will you stop arguing with me, and let me be nice?" Derek laughed seeing her struggled to walk and again wrapped his arm around her waist helping her outside and into his car.

"Thanks Derek", Casey smiled warmly, feeling protected and cared for.

He turned from the wheel temporarily and smiled ruffling her hair. " Don't mention it".

Back at her dorm Casey stumbled to open her dorm open so Derek unlocked the door and lifted her into the room and on her bed, her roommate Nat was just leaving but decided to make a quick detour at the scene.

"Well, what is this?" Nat smiled impressed at Casey's new love interest, because she absolutely despised Chris.

"I'm Derek", Derek smiled walking over to introduce himself to Nat who nodded enthusiastically.

"So I've heard", Nat smiled and looked back at Casey.

" I fractured my ankle at the gym".

"Where's Chris?"

Casey shrugged, " Don't know, don't care".

"That's the spirit", her roommate enthusiast.

Derek nodded already liking Nat, then turned back to Casey.

" I gotta meet some guys later, but Casey be sure to ice your ankle".

"I can't", Casey leaned across her table when she realized it was 6:00 pm, pulling her lap top to her chest. " I have to email this paper to my professor by 9".

"She never listens", Nat smiled walking toward the door. " You might just have to stay with her".

"Nat", Casey laughed in disbelief.

"You're probably right", Derek agreed plopping on Casey's bed pulling out the ice pack before and pulled down her ankle sock.

"I'm not a baby", she told him jokingly.

"Yes she is", Nat confirmed before slipping out of their room walking toward the campus where she bumped into Chris laughing with his future frat brothers.

"Casey fractured her ankle you idiot", she told him darkly.

"What?" Chris turned alarmed. " Since when?"

"Maybe you should answer your phone".

"Whatever miss suicidal", Chris rolled his eyes annoyed with Casey's over bearing roommate. " Where is she now?

"Our room", Natalie stated casually.

"Thanks", Chris said before sprinting towards the girls dorm.

"Don't mention it", Nat smirked knowingly.

Chris swung Casey dorm room out of breath. " Casey I came as soon as possible—", his words trailed off when he saw Casey in a tank top, tiny shorts laying on her back with her lap top of her stomach giggling while Derek laid across nonchalantly laying an ice pack across her ankle.

"What's going on?" he asked skeptically, feeling his chest burn with curiosity. He hoped it wasn't what he thought.

_**Sorry for the last two bad chapters! I.E. Marti hasn't been born yet. Please comment and review! My writing will be a lot better stay tuned !**_


	4. Perfect Lie

_**Life With You**_

"Nothing, what are you doing here?" Casey snapped as Chris barged into her dorm room angrily.

"I heard my _girlfriend _twisted her ankle, what the hell you are doing here?" he demanded looking Derek up and down sprawled on Casey's bed where her leg was strung across his lap.

"Helping me, unlike you", Casey snapped pulling her leg away and interrupting Derek before he spoke, because as she remembered he had a very short tempter. The last thing she wanted was an all out jock fight in her dorm room.

"You know what", Derek rose casually with a smile. " Maybe I should go".

"Yeah", Chris crossed his arms pensively. " You should!", he raised his voice and squared his shoulders at Derek enviously.

"Look man, just calm down", Derek reasoned raising his palms with an easy going smile trying to defuse the tension in the room.

Casey limped off the bed and flipped her side-swept bang out of her face. " If anybody should leave, it should be you", she remarked at Chris who turned surprised.

"Are you kidding me?" he laughed in disbelief spinning around to face his petite girlfriend. " I come all the way over here to check on you, and you're telling me I should go?" Chris yelled.

"Hey man", Derek tapped Chris's shoulder to get him out of Casey's face. "Maybe you should take a walk around the quad and calm down".

Chris angrily turned around and bored his blue eyes at Derek. "Maybe you should mind your business pal, this is my girlfriend".

"You need to chill man", Derek picked his track jacket off the floor and looked toward Casey.

"Catch you later", he smiled.

"Okay", Casey giggled waving bye.

Chris grabbed Derek's arm in a jealous rage. "That's not going to happen".

Derek turned angrily and snatched his arm back feeling his temper flare.

"Look man, you better watch it. I've been holding my breath, but if you touch me again I may have to break your jaw", Derek clenched his jaws and balled his hands into a fist.

Casey limped in between the guys to intercept the fight, she really wish Nat had been there to help her. She was only 5'1 and 100 pounds, there was no way she was going to stop a fight between two 6 feet tall guys.

"It's okay Derek, just go. I'm fine", Casey reassured touching Derek shoulders to calm him down.

Derek looked from Casey to Chris skeptically. " Alright, just call if you need me", he stated before swiftly exiting the intense dorm room. He could not believe what a jerk Chris was, if Casey hadn't been there he would've beaten him to a bloody pulp. Guys just didn't grab on Derek Venturi and get away with it, and they definitely didn't get loud with his girls-

Girls? Derek interrupted his thoughts walking through the quad. Casey's not your girl, she's your si- well she's. He racked his brain and couldn't come up with a title for Casey, she wasn't his step-sister anymore, his girlfriend, friend, or enemy they were just neutral.

Still, he couldn't take his mind off her for some reason. He even missed hanging out with his friends at the Kappa party for her, that was huge he wouldn't even have missed that for his own girlfriend. There was something about Casey that made her different.

He was halfway at his dorm when someone called his name.

"De-rek", the voice beamed.

Derek turned around excitedly hoping it would be Casey but became disappointed when he saw his current girlfriend Amanda walking his way.

"_Damnit_", he whispered underneath his breath, and forced a grin when she jogged to meet him. He had been avoiding her all week, especially since he hooked up with that random girlfriend last night.

"Hey babe", Derek greeted when she leaned forward to kiss him.

"Where have you been, Venturi?" Amanda whined wiping off the leftover lip- gloss from Derek's lip as they fell in step.

" You know, pledging with the Kappa's. I almost got into a fight with Chris-

"Chris Longwood?"

"Yeah", Derek said snaking his arm across her shoulder.

"Over what?" she asked curiously.

"Cas- nothing it was stupid", Derek quickly added.

Amanda was beautiful with super-model features, but she had the insecurities of an not so pretty girl. Derek knew saying Casey's name would trigger her into a fit. He didn't feel like arguing with her, he just wanted to go to his dorm and relax.

…

"I over reacted", Chris agreed sitting at the edge of Casey's bed after he'd calmed down completely.

"Yeah", Casey crossed her arms and looked away. " You did".

"But I came in here and saw you with Derek, I just didn't know what to think".

"Nothing happened with me and Derek, and it never will. Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I do", Chris empathized and pushed Casey's honey brown hair out of her face. "Its just, Derek is never friends with a girl unless they're hooking up".

"I'm not hooking up with Derek. Like I said, we're just friends Christopher".

Chris sighed and nodded his head understandingly. " I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, baby", he leaned forward to peck the side of Casey's forehead.

Casey turned her head and pretended to type. " Look, I have to finish this paper. I want to be alone if you don't mind".

He nodded and began for the door. "Are we okay?"

"I don't know yet", Casey made eye contact with his blue eyes before he shut the door.

Casey closed her laptop and sat it down across her bed, she felt like she was on an emotional rollercoaster. She couldn't believe the way Chris had behaved or Derek for that matter. She had never imagined he'd be so sweet.

It was a nice change though, Casey thought to herself smiling. She decided she wanted to go see Derek and thank him for being there for her, when her own boyfriend wasn't.

Casey never thought she'd actually look forward to seeing Derek, but here she was excitedly tossing on sweatpants and a jacket to go see him. Since her ankle was bag Casey opted to take the campus bus around to Derek's dorm. She just hoped Chris didn't bump into her going to his room, because that would be unceccary drama.

Casey paced herself, and snatched her ponytail out of her head and gave it a nice shake as she headed down the hall to Derek's room. She held her breath and forced her knuckles to knock against the smooth black door.

After another knock or two, she heard Derek yell through the door. " Be right there".

Casey smiled and swung her purse back and forth to keep herself occupied. When the door finally opened she was relieved.

Derek stood in the doorframe bare chest with plaid pajamas holding a 20 dollar bill in between his fingers.

" Did you bring extra sauce- Casey?" he grinned anxiously lowering the money, genuinely excited to see her.

"Sauce?" she teased. "No I don't".

"I thought you were the pizza guy. What's up?"

" I just wanted to thank you for being with me all day, and being cool about the whole Chris thing", Casey smiled nodding her head at a loss for words. Her saying nice things to Derek didn't come very easy.

"No problem, did you walk here? You probably shouldn't be on that ankle", Derek said concernedly looking down at her ankle.

"No I took the bus", Casey giggled. " I didn't have anything better to do. Feel like sharing a slice of pizza?"

"Sure-

"Babe, is that the pizza guy?" Amanda sounded walking toward the door, knowing full and well that it was Casey holding up Derek's time.

Derek winced and shook his head, seeing Casey he had completely forgot that his girlfriend was in the living room of his condo/ apartment waiting on him.

Amanda walked toward the door and snaked her arms around Derek's chiseled stomach and rested her chin on Derek's shoulder and brought her eyes to Casey.

"Oh hey, it's you. Cassie right?" she asked purposely saying Casey's name wrong. She was sporting one of Derek's navy blue button up shirts. They hadn't done anything, as Casey had suspected. Amanda had insisted since they were having movie night she wanted to slip into something more comfortable than her body hugging dress , and didn't want to go across campus to do so.

"Casey", Casey corrected her and nodded her head embarrassedly, she began to feel her cheeks get hotter the longer she stood.

"Is she staying for the pizza?" Amanda asked Derek with her eyes still focused on Casey.

"Um-

"No", Casey quickly stated. " I just came from seeing my boyfriend. I just wanted to stop by and say hi", she lied.

Derek's feelings were slightly hurt, he thought she had come to see him.

"Bye", Amanda stated arching her eyebrows.

Derek moved her arms from his waist and turned to face her. " Why don't you go sit in the front and check on the delivery?"

"Okay baby", Amanda stood on her tip toes and made a show of kissing her boyfriend. She grabbed the back of his head and pecked him one last time before she sauntered back inside.

Casey looked away awkwardly, and wished she hadn't come all together. She had a boyfriend, and he had a girlfriend them hanging out would be impossible.

"Sorry about that", Derek apologize running his hand across his stomach out of habit. Casey's eyes followed his hand and quickly stopped herself.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay-

"No, I'm okay. Have fun with Amanda".

"Do you need a ride?" Derek asked trying to keep her to stay as long as possible. " You shouldn't be on that ankle".

Casey smiled sheepishly. " No, its fine", she stated before beginning down the hall. He watched amazed until she was into the elevator.

Derek sighed and closed his door. " _No its not_", he breathed disappointedly.

_**Sorry for the late update! But drama is brewing, please leave your comments and reviews. Love yu **_____


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